Stabbing rampage suspect held at last... in his pyjamas
A SUSPECT in the Birmingham stabbings which left one dead and seven wounded was arrested in his pyjamas by armed police yesterday.
Witnesses told how officers shouted, “Get down, get down”, before dragging the “squirming” man out of his house in handcuffs.
The pre- dawn arrest saw police smash down the front of the property in Selly Oak, not far from the scene of Sunday’s carnage.
Last night, the 27- year- old was being held on suspicion of murder and seven attempted murders.
Two men and a woman were arrested at the same address on suspicion of assisting an offender.
The motive behind the random stabbings in the early hours of Sunday is unclear although police were quick to rule out terrorism or a hate crime.
Forensics officers were seen searching the end- of- terrace house where the suspect was arrested.
One neighbour said: “I heard a bang at 4am and looked out the window
and the whole cul- de- sac with unmarked police cars.
“There were lots of police officers with guns. I heard the police shouting, ‘ Get down! Get down!’ and telling residents to stay indoors on the megaphone.”
Another resident said: “He was spread out on the floor with his arms behind his back. It looked like he was wearing pyjama bottoms.”
Witnesses said the suspect “looked terrified” as he was taken away for questioning.
One neighbour said: “I can’t believe what’s happened. It’s terrifying.”
Sunday’s knife rampage started at 12.30am when a man was stabbed to the north of the city centre.
Just 10 minutes later, a 30- year- old man was critically wounded and a woman hurt in Livery Street.
At 1.50am, Jacob Billington, 23, was stabbed to death and a friend of his, also 23, was seriously hurt in Irving Street.
The final incident was around 2am in Hurst Street when a 22- year- old woman was critically wounded and two men left with less serious injuries.
The woman and the 23- year- old man were fighting for their lives last was filled
night. Some witnesses said they believed the suspect was still in the Hurst Street area at around 2.20am – about two hours after the first attack.
One report claimed the rampage started after the attacker confronted a man about talking to a girl.
Witnesses said he seemed “calm”, stabbing victims before walking away as if nothing had happened.
Questions were raised yesterday over how the suspect was able to stab victims at random across the city centre without being captured.
Birmingham Labour MP Khalid Mahmood said: “Where was the monitoring?
“How was this man able to go on a
two- hour spate? The public and police were put at further risk.
“Potentially, had the alarm been set early enough, the individual who is now deceased could have been saved and it’s important we look at that.”
A review of the response by police will take place and the results made public after the completion of criminal proceedings.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “It’s very easy to comment on a police investigation while it’s live.”
Asked why the knifeman was not stopped sooner, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “That will come out from further inquiries.”